Officials at the White House and State Department were advised two hours after attackers assaulted the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit for the attack, official emails show.

The emails, obtained by Reuters from government sources not connected with U.S. spy agencies or the State Department and who requested anonymity, specifically mention that the Libyan group called Ansar al-Sharia had asserted responsibility for the attacks.

The brief emails also show how U.S. diplomats described the attack, even as it was still under way, to Washington.

U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the Benghazi assault, which President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials ultimately acknowledged was a “terrorist” attack carried out by militants with suspected links to al Qaeda affiliates or sympathizers.

[2] Secret email reveals top official told Libya’s U.S. Ambassador that terrorists were behind Benghazi attack – four days BEFORE U.S. Ambassador to UN said it was a spontaneous attack: http://www.prisonplanet.com/secret-email-reveals-top-official-told-libyas-u-s-abmassador-that-terrorists-were-behind-benghazi-attack-four-days-before-u-s-ambassador-to-un-said-it-was-a-spontaneous-attack.html